The Japanese Consulate-General recently brought a touch of oriental charm to Dubai.
For some, the tale of a handsome emperor's son whose concubine-mother dies young and is then taken under the wing of his stepmother, who resembles his mother, only to fall in love with her as an adult, smacks of a Greek tragedy.
But the Tale of Genji, Oedipus similarities aside, is a quintessential Japanese classic that many identify with the land of the rising sun and its some 2,000-year history.
Set in the Japanese royal court, the tale became the perfect backdrop to introduce the three hallmarks of Japanese culture that were an integral part of life in the royal court featured in the classic, seen through modern eyes or during the Heisei Era, which was declared on January 8, 1989.
The Japanese Consulate-General in Dubai recently held Cherry Blossoms and Tale of Genji: Perspectives from Heisei Era, to demonstrate the art of Japanese calligraphy, the Japanese tea ceremony and the Junihitoe dress - the wardrobe of a lady at the royal court of Japan.
The demonstration was part of a cultural tour in the Middle East. Seeing it carried out in front of one's eyes, one could almost see Genji and where his life and loves, trials and tribulations took place.
Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Japanese consul-general, told tabloid! the consulate had always wanted to showcase his country's culture, but was not able to previously.
"The purpose is to show the cultural aspect of Japan. They have not been introduced before in Dubai. It's a very happy coincidence (that the tour was going on)," he said.
He added the three traditions harked back to days when life moved at a slower pace amid the pursuit of perfection.
"They reflect on thinking, tradition and the economical aspect of movement," he said.
Japanese Calligraphy
Professor Iwao Kowori, senior programme advisor at United Nations University in Japan, presented the three traditions. He told tabloid! the calligraphy demonstration would appeal to UAE residents and Arabs, with their love for Arabic calligraphy.
"Japanese calligraphy is similar to Arabic calligraphy," he said. For one thing, they are both visual representation of words important to the people.
One of the two calligraphers who did the demonstration drew the character for sakura, or cherry blossoms. The flowers are a sign of spring. Another drew the characters for paddy fields.
Professeur Kowori told the guests the words invoked nostalgia. Sakura reminded people of what spring meant to them, while paddy fields would usually bring up thoughts of home and childhood in samurais of yesteryear.
Drawing the characters is not a matter of sitting down and just painting each stroke carefully, however.
Japanese characters require a specific brush stroke to follow another. Learning how to do calligraphy can take years and is offered as an art specialty in universities.
Tea Ceremony
The Japanese tea ceremony is a very involved and elaborate event. Nothing but an actual live demonstration does it full justice.
Movies that showcase Japanese culture, such as Memoirs of Geisha, are nothing compared to what the ceremony actually entails and have been unable to capture its patience and formality.
Influenced by Zen Buddhism, the tea ceremony has many schools, dictating how powdered green tea, or matcha, should be prepared and served.
Guests also needed to know how to accept the tea, such as which way to turn the cup while accepting it, in accordance with the requirements of the tea school in use during the ceremony.
The ceremony is so elaborate and the movements so precise, one guest was overheard saying: "I'm exhausted just looking at the tea practitioner."
Professor Kobori told tabloid! that despite the elaborateness and seemingly endless disciplines and arts related to the tea ceremony, there was no fear it was becoming an obsolete art.
"We expect the younger generation to continue," he said, adding many, including foreigners, were still signing up to learn.
However, he admitted the tea ceremony, characterised by its graceful, deliberate and calculated movements, has struggled to find a place against today's fast-paced world.
"We have to compete with computers, mobile phones, e-mail," he said.
Junihitoe: it's a girl thing
The ladies of the royal court did not wear the common kimono. They wore the elaborate version of the kimono, called the junihitoe. At its most formal, the dress consisted of 12 layers.
The junihitoe became popular during the Heian Era, around the 10th Century, which is also the time in which the Tale of Genji was set. The layers could add as much as 20kg to the courtier.
However, the demonstration given was not the formal wear one sees on imperial princesses during weddings. The model only had four layers put on her, which nevertheless surprised some guests.
The layers were all of different colours, which denote the lady's rank. The first one was white, the second mustard yellow, the third pale yellow and the final layer patterned purple silk robes.
"This is not the 12-piece dress; that is the official dress. These are the normal clothes for an aristocrat," said Hiroyasu Kobayashi, Japanese consul general in Dubai.
The hair is worn long and loose over the back. To complete the look, the lady carries an elaborate fan, to shield herself from curious looks from men.
She can also use it to cool herself, a small mercy for someone who has to wear at least four layers of clothing to go and hang out with her friends.
